Monday, 22 November 2010

Success: Robbie Williams, seen out last night in London, has helped boost Take That's success

Take That proved they really are Back For Good in hearts of the British public after the newly-reformed quintet's latest album achieved the biggest-selling opening week sales of any album for 13 years.

Progress, the band's new album, has sold almost 520,000 copies - more than the rest of the album charts top ten put together, according to the Official Charts Company.

The last album to exceed sales of 500,000 copies was Oasis's Be Here Now, which sold 663,000 in its first chart week in 1997.

Martin Talbot, managing director of the Official Charts Company, said: 'Since their reunion as a four-piece four years ago, Take That have firmly established themselves as the UK's favourite band.

'Following the return of Robbie Williams to their ranks, that record has been further cemented - and they are now well on course to rule Christmas 2010, just as they dominated Christmas 2006 and 2008.'

Progress is the band's first album since reuniting with Robbie Williams.

Take That's 2006 reunion album, Beautiful World, sold 2.5 million copies in the UK and clung to the number one spot for eight weeks while 2008's The Circus sold one million copies in just 18 days and, to date, it is nearing sales of 2.2 million.

Progress, the band's sixth studio album, is the first to feature the full line up of Gary Barlow, Mark Owen, Howard Donald, Jason Orange and Robbie Williams since 1995's Somebody Else.

Date night: Robbie was seen leaving the Mandarin Oriental Hotel with wife Ayda Field

Catching up: It was a band night out for Take That, as Gary Barlow and wife Dawn Andrew were also photographed at the hotel

The 10-song album was produced by Stuart Price and is a mix of pop, rock and ballads.Earlier this month, the band sold 1.34 million tickets for their upcoming tour. The first million sold in just eight hours.

It was one of five new albums to enter the top ten this week. Rihanna's Loud came in second spot, Andre Rieu's Moonlight Serenade entered the charts in fourth position, Greatest Hit's So Far by Pink was fifth and Bruce Springsteen's The Promise was seventh.

Loved up: Mark Owen was seen with his wife Emma Ferguson and their dog

Happier than ever: Howard Donald and girlfriend Katie Halil smiled for photographers as they left the hotel

It was a successful week for boy bands all round as JLS's new song Love You More was named number one in the singles chart.

The song was the official Children In Need charity single.

Take That remained in second spot in the singles chart with The Flood while Westlife's song Safe entered the charts at number ten.

Reunited: All five members of Take That performing live on X Factor.Their album The Flood is the fastest-selling record for 13 years